by Massive Voodoo

Job: self-employed Artist since 2008 and passionate teacher, founder of Massive Voodoo, pulling strings in the back of your jungle blog and very often the horse power behind daily updates to MV.

Years of Painting: 2006~now if just painting Miniatures, means about 9 years by now.
Went to school and studied painting and Arts all along and do drawing or painting it since I can think.

Media: Acrylics, oils, water colours, inks, coffee, etc.

Brushes: Windsor&Newton Series 7 (standard, not miniature), size 0, 1 and 2. These are my main brushes but I have all sorts of brushes for different tasks, sometimes I use also my fingers to paint.

Airbrush: Yes, it’s a great tool, like a brush, only with air, but I do not enjoy the cleaning of it. Pfft!

Miniatures: Fantasy and Historical, all common scales, from 1:100, 1:72, 28 mm to 90 mm, not yet bigger.

Speed: Usually fast, depending on the size project slow is also an option.

Average Painting
Hours per day: 6~8 h +, but sometimes more, depending on the muse

Sculpting: Not very consistent efforts here, but skills are slowly growing. Need to put more time into it.

Favourite Miniature
Painters: everyone who takes a brush, some colours to sit down with and spents his time with painting a small figure, plane, tank, car, ship, train, diorama, etc. and finds joy in it.

Favourite Miniature
Sculptors: Allan Carrasco, Pedro Fernandez, Romain van den Bogeart, Raffaele Picca and many, many more, but mainly those again who take their bravery and are ready to learn and study the magic of it. One day I'll find the proper time too!

my name is Roman.
I currently live Augsburg, Germany, my hometown, working self-employed as a Miniature Painter since several years. I always loved colour and ever since I can think I draw and paint on all surfaces available to me.

Many miniatures have seen my brush dancing some colour choices on them
and I did a lot of projects, comissions and fun models in the past. I do
not count them anymore, but I do enjoy every new or old project under
my nose while I am working on it, but after it is finished, I quickly
lose interest on it. I am not sure if this is good, but I have learned
that I am open for new ideas faster again and am able to sell some of my
pieces more easily to make a living as a self employed artist.

"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures."

Henry Ward Beecher

After I did my vocational diploma in art and started with focusing my creative energies on Miniature Painting in late 2006, I decided to be self-employed with painting armies on commission beside my studies. Painting armies and units really helped me to learn a lot about the techniques of miniature painting and I found my own way of painting them with a count of approximatly 300 finished models a year in the first three years of my self employment. Learning can only come if you do something often and with fun.

I studied to become a teacher for art, art-history, technical drawing, was trained in carpenter skills, text processing and multimedia. After I finished my first state examination as a teacher I should have done the second one and become a teacher for the state of Bavaria, but I did not take that road of security. I decide to walk an insecure path instead and go on with what I love: Painting Miniatures. Since 2008 I am self-employed without university distracting me from my work and passion.

A passion that I found during university was also teaching. I combined my passion of miniature painting with the teaching of classes related to miniature painting.
I never did regret this decision so far, even sometimes this path took and still takes me through dark valleys of uncertainty once in a while.

"No one knows what he can do until he tries."

Publilius Syrus

In the past years I was able to meet so many kind people, made friends worldwide and was able to spread the word about happy miniature painting in many hearts. This is where my passion finds its fuel. Seeing the glow in someones eyes if the passion is truly fun makes me happy. Knowing that in some painters cases I helped a little is my major award why I am doing what I do as my job.

I am happy to have met the friends I have in life, including the whole gang of good people of the MV Team, which I count to my closests. I am in two happy relationships: One with my great girlfriend Anna and the other one with my BiBaB (Brother in Brain and Brushes), Raffa, with whom I share this passionate way of life, our studio in Augsburg, visions, being direct neighbours and many other things.

What I enjoy most about the Miniature Painting Community is the people that have this big love to miniatures in their heart. No matter what job everybody got, no matter what social background, no matter what the looks of some are - people are who they are: A big family with everyone equal where everybody enjoys to paint Miniatures and this is a great thing in a world that often stamps people from their social perspective too quick.

What others say about my work - for example ...

"You are really a master in the miniature storytelling ! I'm impressed by the way you're able to teleport us where you want. What
I mean is that when I see a mini or a dio you made I have the
impression not only to see what is next to it but also to BE there and
see and feel what is there. Great Work Roman! Continue to make us dream and make us try to surpass ourselves to reach the same quality." - Who"Roman
is both an artist and teacher. His teaching is much more than just
techniques with the brush and colors, but a feeling, an attitude,
observation and philosophy in art and miniatures. He manages to inspire
painters of all levels. Romans miniatures
are not so much about flawless technique and execution but more about
expression and communication. Through the blog massive Voodoo Roman has
touched almost everybody in this painting community making him one of
the most influential artists in this field." - Kristian"Roman
is one of my biggest painting heroes and one who really drives me to
always try new things. Most of what I’ve learnt about painting
miniatures I learnt from Roman, reading his articles on the Massive
Voodoo website.Meeting him in person in one of his
beginner’s painting classes was a great experience and really motivated
me to keep painting and getting better." - Linda

In my eyes everyone is equal, no matter what he does, no matter how big his experience in something is, no matter how much money he got or how cool or chichi he/she pretends to be on the first impression. I learned to not judge people to quick and realised that it is good to see the person behind their behavior with a little patience. I found this freedom expressivly lived in the Miniature Painting Community and I try my best to give back as an artist and teacher to this community by spreading the word about happy painting of miniatures and frankly by all means possible to me as a person. Making this beautiful passion grow is important to me as the community sorrounding it is still small and this magnificent hobby still to unknown to many.

Is Miniature Painting a form of art?
I can not answer you that, as the meaning of art can only be found in oneself as is the meaning and purpose of everything else. I, personally can not go in a Museum and say this is Art or this is not. In my eyes no one is able of telling others so as the process of construeing Art is happening in oneself - if it is its creation or its reckoning. My oppinion.

"Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known."

Oscar Wilde

Well, what else?
I like to play Basketball, read way too many books, love to listen to all kind of music, love to draw and paint small or big paintings or drawings once in a while, don't watch television anymore since eleven years, love to ride my bike, love to take photos, play computer games once in a while, have a great girlfriend and a beautiful relationship, two awesome cats, great friends, great family and I am happy that learning never stops in all aspects of life. I enjoy to do stupid things alone, but rather with friends. Do stupid things sometimes, they always create good memories.

In my dreams there are no cars on this planet and I find myself on
horseback as a warrior who fights against injustice in a medieval, leather Batman suit. In my dreams. Well,
did I mention that I like Batman a lot? Dreams are dreams but if you
look close inside yourself, while you are doing decisions or judge about
a situation of life you can find your Batman there. There is one in
every person and it is your choices, thoughts and words in life that can
bring him alive. I try not to hang my head in sorrow - even I am a deep
thinker often - but I am a positive thinking person and frankly can not
remember the day when I was really, really sad the bottom of my heart.

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... MASSIVE VOODOO’s jungle, where some apes share their thoughts and ideas around their beloved passion, the hobby of miniature painting and sculpting.

Feel welcome to come and check the jungle for tons of articles, interesting tutorials, creative competitions and the simple joy of happy painting hidden behind every tree. We hope that everyone finds their own banana in here, if not do not hesitate to ask the apes. We are more than happy for you to post in the comments section to help turn this jungle into the lush, overgrown painting corner we hope it will become.